Syntax of a Ratio (ANSI and GNU Common Lisp Document)

Next: Syntax of a Float, Previous: Syntax of an Integer, Up: Constructing Numbers from Tokens

#### 2.3.2.3 Syntax of a Ratio

Ratios can be written as an optional sign followed by two non-empty sequences of digits separated by a slash; see Figure~2–9. The second sequence may not consist entirely of zeros. Examples of ratios are in Figure 2–13.

      2/3                 ;This is in canonical form
      4/6                 ;A non-canonical form for 2/3
      -17/23              ;A ratio preceded by a sign
      -30517578125/32768  ;This is (-5/2)^15
      10/5                ;The canonical form for this is 2
      #o-101/75           ;Octal notation for -65/61
      #3r120/21           ;Ternary notation for 15/7
      #Xbc/ad             ;Hexadecimal notation for 188/173
      #xFADED/FACADE      ;Hexadecimal notation for 1027565/16435934

                      Figure 2–13: Examples of Ratios

[Reviewer Note by Barmar: #o, #3r, #X, and #x mentioned above are not in the syntax rules defined just above that.]

For information on how ratios are printed, see Printing Ratios.